Review Season 2025 a mixed bag

[Bovo]

The season is done and after a promising minor round, the premiership cabinet still only holds two cups. It was an interesting year with the breakout of Curtin, and Filth finding another level. We saw Crouch succumb to injuries. We saw Tex’s best and worst. We saw a solid backline, a formidable forward line, but another year where our mids were unable to dominate. We saw two records that we will wear. 1 - first team from 15th one season to 1st. First team in AFL history to finish 1st and go out in straight sets. It has been a rollercoaster of a season. The optimist in me says that in 2025, we exceeded most people’s expectations. The pessimist in me says we wasted the year. But regardless, our season is over.

 

[CrowToon]

The short-term autopsy from the finals is disappointment and feeling of waste. Natural given our finishing position and two home finals.

The wider look at the season has us miles ahead. When we finished 15th the talk over the season was whether we would make finals. I remember plenty of people saying 7th-11th. Well we smashed that by finishing 1.

People clinging to a need for pessimism will point to easy double ups but even if we remove kanga/eagles double ups we still make a home final. Add in some close losses and who says those removed double ups dont mean we beat whoever we would have played? No, softer draw aside we earned our finals berth.

We had a brand that stacked up during the regular season but couldn't get it done during finals. Nicks and co have 6 months to figure that out.

Sitting alongside that we have some big calls to make/be made namely Tex and Smith. I think for all the good Tex did it's just time to go. Even if it costs us some premiership points doing so in the short term.

Ultimately we have A graders on every line. Our midfield is short an elite player and I hate that ROB is still there given he cant tap to genuine advantage or kick. Watching Meek and Big O kick just exacerbates the pain.

But we will make finals again next year and the team will be all the better for this year even if it was straight sets without winning a quarter. Now they know in no uncertain terms what it takes and what not to do.

2025 is a net positive and it isn't even close.

2026, however, comes now with elevated expectations. We MUST make Prelim weekend.

 

[Bob Neil]

That period of time (was it 12 hours or maybe 24) between us beating Collingwood at home after giving them a start to effectively sew up the minor premiership and then the Rankine homophobic slur breaking was truly a glorious time.

Some clubs have multi year dynasties to look back on - we slept well and woke the next morning with the world full of possibilities only to have them shattered shortly thereafter.

Ah to be a Crows fan…

 

[GreyCrow]

I said at the start of the year I expected us to win 14 games - we exceeded that and seemed to put to bed a few bogeys

But the heat of finals put the scorch marks on us. Will it be damaging or do we brush it off

Right now I'm pessimistic about where we go from here

I'm hoping for different voices in the coaches box and 1 or 2 player upgrades

Then see our draw and get positive again

 

[DukeX]

Now that I've let the bad taste of Friday night subside, I think my feelings on the overall season are a bit clearer.
The good: Defence, the rise of Curtin & TT, winning close games, finishing top (if someone had told you we'd finish top at the end of last year, you'd have them committed, and throw away the key), winning ugly, Milera, Rachele pre-injury, winning despite the mid-field getting beaten, a reasonably good run with injuries (minus Rash). The 'floor' of our best 22 has definitely been raised.
The concerns: the drop off of players towards the end of season (ie Soligo, Fog), the midfield constantly being beaten, still some glaringly bad skill errors & decision making, some seriously questionable coaching calls, Tex often still being our most important forward or our biggest liability. Our depth outside our best 22 is pretty shallow. Worst of all, all of these concerns were magnified even more in our finals games.

Heaps of positives to take out of the season, despite the embarrassing finals showing. We'd learnt how to win tight games, we looked fantastic when things were going out way, young guys starting to show how good they can be. I think we overachieved, but we've probably accelerated our build by a year or 2 (I think everyone expected we'd be 6-10 this year). It definitely feels like we're going in the right direction, which is a stark contrast to how I've felt over the last few seasons.
Shout out to the defence, especially Keane & Worrell. They really lifted this season (maybe not all of them in the Finals), but considering they're all young/inexperienced, and with another season under the belt, there can only be improvement.
But.
The dismal finals showing is still a sour end, and bared all our weaknesses in all their glory. The midfield needs a talent injection both a midfield bull and some x-factor, and a drastic improvement in coaching. Maybe the Ah Chee move allows Rankine more time in there (x-factor), but we need to find a clearance machine to get it out and win us the midfield battle more often. I really hope the club and players learn from this disappointment, while all our opposition fans bask in it. I'm sure we'll be hearing about being the first team to go out in straight sets for 40 years for the whole of next season and beyond, so that burn should drive them to make people forget.
Hopefully big things to come next year!
(Also sorry for the essay...)

 

[CrowToon]

We also found multiple ways to win in Melbourne

Won some close games

Beat Collingwood and Hawthorn (but not when it mattered).

Possibly created a finals hoodoo but if we cast aside a couple of them, why can't we fix that one too?

 

[1970crow]

The short-term autopsy from the finals is disappointment and feeling of waste. Natural given our finishing position and two home finals.

The wider look at the season has us miles ahead. When we finished 15th the talk over the season was whether we would make finals. I remember plenty of people saying 7th-11th. Well we smashed that by finishing 1.

People clinging to a need for pessimism will point to easy double ups but even if we remove kanga/eagles double ups we still make a home final. Add in some close losses and who says those removed double ups dont mean we beat whoever we would have played? No, softer draw aside we earned our finals berth.

We had a brand that stacked up during the regular season but couldn't get it done during finals. Nicks and co have 6 months to figure that out.

Sitting alongside that we have some big calls to make/be made namely Tex and Smith. I think for all the good Tex did it's just time to go. Even if it costs us some premiership points doing so in the short term.

Ultimately we have A graders on every line. Our midfield is short an elite player and I hate that ROB is still there given he cant tap to genuine advantage or kick. Watching Meek and Big O kick just exacerbates the pain.

But we will make finals again next year and the team will be all the better for this year even if it was straight sets without winning a quarter. Now they know in no uncertain terms what it takes and what not to do.

2025 is a net positive and it isn't even close.

2026, however, comes now with elevated expectations. We MUST make Prelim weekend.

Nicks crapped his dacks going rogue bonkers negative last year turning expected finals side into 15th. It’s a bit rich to laud him for digging us out of a position that he put us in.

 

[glengowan]

It seemed like we had developed all the answers. There was no need to question the coach with regards to selection or strategy on a Thursday night. Then it all fell apart.

In the back of the head, there was always the thought that we needed all of Thilthorpe, Dawson and Rankine playing for us to be at our best. Miss any one of those and it leaves a big hole.

I doubt we have as good run with injuries or the fixture next season.

But, we also have so much improvement within the list.

So, we should be very optimistic for season 2026, but there is not a chance we get ahead of ourselves.

I would hope that in the end, the disappointment of not performing in this finals series, leaves a hunger and desire not to be outworked again and to improve individually and as a team to get to the level that is required. That level is better known now by all at the AFC than it was 2 weeks ago.

 

[skittlebrew]

 

[UcantCme]

Let’s be real

Unless you win the flag - every season for every club is a mixed bag

There is no doubt we improved and seen growth and moving forward we will be ok ahead and behind the ball.

But if we won’t to be a Geelong or Brisbane type of club - contending year in and year out and making prelims or GF we need to address our midfield

- Curtin and Rankine to train as full time mids

- Soligo and Peatling need to find the next gear

- Berry not up to it

- Play Draper on wing in 2026 before he starts playing more mid

- Be aggressive and find another ready made top line mid firing trade period

 

[GrommoT]

 

[jenny61_99]

I loved enjoying footy again. It’s been a long while. I HATE the “learnings” we had to have in the finals. Changes need to be made on and off the field. Looking forward to watching it unfold.

 

[spenze]

It was enjoyable to actually be in a winning season again and watch the team with expectations of a win.

We got it majorly wrong in the finals but it does give us the template of where we need to improve and it will be interesting to see what our plan is in trading and drafting this off season because we probably need to be harsh on a few players and actively shop them and let them know "you're playing twos if you want to stay".

I'm not as stressed as others on the finals, I could see it coming, there wasn't a side or sides that limped into the 8, that was the strongest top 8 ever and we "Bradburied" our way into top spot, that wasn't ever going to be easy and our form dropped at the wrong time.

As I said though, we need to be honest about who goes round again and who has played their last game with the Crows, we also need to shake up our coaching group, it will be a shame if Van Berlo gets more time.

 

[CrowToon]

Nicks crapped his dacks going rogue bonkers negative last year turning expected finals side into 15th. It’s a bit rich to laud him for digging us out of a position that he put us in.

Theres no denying he did that last year.

But through the regular season this year he clearly realised things had to change. So it's not really rich to give people credit for fixing a problem, even if it was their own making.

He seems to have basically done the same in this finals series and brought our speed on the ball to a minimum. So yes its strange he hasn't learned his lesson when the pressure is on.

Surely next years finals series he just keeps playing fast.

 

[Captain_Plane]

Overall I think it was a great year. At the end of last year it felt like we were like 8 players short of being a contender, whereas now I feel like we're only one player short (being an A-grade mid, I'm of the 'rucks don't matter too much' mentality). I also think that "losing a semi-final" is par for us based on H&A form, ladder position notwithstanding. We were a better team this year than GC, GWS, Freo and the Dogs but worse than geelong, collingwood, brisbane and hawthorn. I reckon if we were a bit less lucky in the regular season and dropped a game or two to the lower teams and finish 5-6, we probably win week one, still lose the semi, and all feel pretty positive about the year.

I also reckon it was the right call to to pull out all the stops against hawthorn and collingwood in the H&A games. Coming into a finals series as a worse and flakier team, if you want to win it you kind of need momentum and luck and can't afford to have an 'ace up the sleeve' mentality. I remember hating when we did this against WC in 2005 (or 06 maybe?) but I was ok with it this time around.

The disappointing part is the admin of the club just continues to be total amateur-hour. Obviously the camp, but I hated watching the club wheel out Dawson in the media to have a go at Rachelle, and the Rankine stuff has stunk the whole way through. We raised Snoop Dogg, failed to criticise booing Quaynor and then making a half-hearted statement later on... somehow they've managed to neither support Rankine OR take a useful public stance.

Far out I wish we had a mitchell or fages coaching though

 

[Bovo]

It was enjoyable to actually be in a winning season again and watch the team with expectations of a win.

We got it majorly wrong in the finals but it does give us the template of where we need to improve and it will be interesting to see what our plan is in trading and drafting this off season because we probably need to be harsh on a few players and actively shop them and let them know "you're playing twos if you want to stay".

I'm not as stressed as others on the finals, I could see it coming, there wasn't a side or sides that limped into the 8, that was the strongest top 8 ever and we "Bradburied" our way into top spot, that wasn't ever going to be easy and our form dropped at the wrong time.

As I said though, we need to be honest about who goes round again and who has played their last game with the Crows, we also need to shake up our coaching group, it will be a shame if Van Berlo gets more time.

This is actually pretty good response. You are right about this years top 8. Any one of them could have probably gone all the way if things fell into place. There were no making numbers this year.

 

[maxlilly]

A very good year to be able to finish minor premiers

There was generally good improvement throughout the squad
I think Murray Davis was a big plus in the coaches box.

I think the biggest factor for team success is how your leadership group and senior players perform at the pointy end of the season.
And again, most of these players let us down.
I think Laird and Milera did their jobs well.
I think we have some very good young guys to keep raising the bar for us.

But Dawson as Captain was disappointing
Our leadership group of ANB, Keays, ROB and Fog where not at the level we needed.
This group really needed to stand up and it didn't happen, it feels like we struggle to develop good leaders.

Berry, Soligo and Peatling and Cumming didn't do enough in the midfield to 1) get their hands on the ball and 2) didn't help transition the ball out of defence.
Tex has had a good year but we regularly get burnt by his opponent on the rebound.
I hope Tex and Smith retire, we need the next group to come through
Hinge lost his way

And we need a different mindset with the coaches.
We need to keep playing attacking football
And we need to give opportunities to our young guys throughout the year and manage our squad

It will be telling to see how we respond next year

 

[JPetro83]

2026 will be like 2013.. the double up games will be against Geelong, Brisbane, Collingwood and Hawthorn and there is no way we get a good run with injury like we did this year. 7th-11th

 

[Not Darryl Moss]

Thought Bubbles: I would like to see McAndrew monster ROB at clearances and general play during the pre-season. Does he have that upside at top level though? Ditto re Fog as a Cam Rainer type, leaving TT and Ah Chee as the main forwards. "Best backline", "best forwardline", "midfield as good as any" - at times in the H&A but at no time in the finals, although we broke even at times.

 

[SugarShane]

I loved enjoying footy again. It’s been a long while. I HATE the “learnings” we had to have in the finals. Changes need to be made on and off the field. Looking forward to watching it unfold.

Pretty much. For 23 weeks I enjoyed football again.

All I wanted was to see us play a final this year. Having now seen that I'd love to see us actually play a final next year.

 

[Bovo]

Pretty much. For 23 weeks I enjoyed football again.

All I wanted was to see us play a final this year. Having now seen that I'd love to see us actually play a final next year.

Spoilt much?

 

[JPetro83]

Would have been good to finish 5-8th.. won a elim final and get a mcg semifinal for experience going forward. I think finishing top and going out in straight set will do more harm than good, mentally.
Right now, i am still very embarrassed as a crows fan. This club/team filled us with hope and got us dreaming only to do what they did. Only us, hey?

 

[kirky]

2026 will be like 2013.. the double up games will be against Geelong, Brisbane, Collingwood and Hawthorn and there is no way we get a good run with injury like we did this year. 7th-11th

You won’t have 4 double ups against all four top teams. It will be a maximum of 3 with minimum of 2.

Guarantee that Collingwood will be one of them, mind you if Elliot and Milochek don’t re-sign with Collingwood then they will be more than beatable in 2026.

 

[crowholder]

If you said to me that we were going to finish 5th, I would have been happy, as I actually picked us to be 5th. However, finishing 1st and then losing two finals makes you feel like a diabetic taking sugar, on a high, then a low. So overall, a good season with many weeks of happiness, but bitterness that we are not playing this weekend.

 

[PCORF]

You won’t have 4 double ups against all four top teams. It will be a maximum of 3 with minimum of 2.

Guarantee that Collingwood will be one of them, mind you if Elliot and Milochek don’t re-sign with Collingwood then they will be more than beatable in 2026.

I reckon we'll play Hawthorn in gather round, 95% confident it happens.

Double up against Port, Fremantle, Giants, Suns (away game in Darwin), Geelong, Brisbane, Sydney, Hawthorn (AO Gather round and in Tassie again)

Collingwood at AO

One away game vs North, one away game vs West Coast, one away game vs Carlton. Away game vs Melbourne in Alice Springs.